VA Chiropractic Care Residency Training Program

The program is funded by the VA Office of Academic Affiliations and in Los Angeles is administered in affiliation with Southern California University of Health Sciences.

Information, deadline details, and application forms can be found below.

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLA)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) conducts the country’s largest healthcare provider clinical training program. In July 2015, VA will continue to offer chiropractic residency training programs at five VA medical centers with one of the programs at VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, part of VISN 22. The focus of this program is Integrated Clinical Practice, with training emphasizing the provision of chiropractic care in an integrated healthcare system, collaborating with primary care Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACTs), specialty care, and other medical and associated health providers and trainees.

The residencies provide advanced clinical training in complex case management, allowing recent graduates to increase their scope and depth of clinical knowledge, experience and acumen. Residents are mentored by senior VA chiropractors who are national leaders in integrated chiropractic practice. These clinicians share their expertise in patient care, academics and research to provide a robust educational experience.

These hospital-based training programs expand the residents’ ability to collaborate with other healthcare professionals in team care, as trainees learn with and from other healthcare providers during interdisciplinary rotations. Residents develop their knowledge of hospital practice, policies and procedures, and are better prepared for future positions in VA, other healthcare systems, and/or academic settings.

Administration

Programs are administered nationally by VA’s Office of Academic Affiliations and locally by the individual VA facility. Each VA facility partners with its affiliated Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) accredited chiropractic school in conducting the program. The academic affiliate for the residency program in VISN 22 is Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU).

Location

Training will take place at VAGLA, and may also include other sites such as SCU or other affiliated locations.

Curricular overview

Residents will provide full diagnostic and management services of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions under the mentorship of senior VA doctors of chiropractic (DCs). This will include team-based management of complex conditions in collaboration with other medical specialists and healthcare providers. Residents will also engage in clinical educational rotations through services including primary care, medical and/or surgical specialties, mental health, and rehabilitation disciplines. Additionally, residents will participate in various scholarly activities and will attend and give presentations at multiple academic/research venues of the VA facility and/or its affiliates. All VA residencies meet the same national standards, yet each program is unique, and training experiences and opportunities will differ somewhat at different sites.

Eligibility requirements

Programs will be open to applicants who hold a DC degree from a CCE-accredited program. Applicants must have a current, full, active, and unrestricted chiropractic license in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia, or be eligible for such licensure. Applicants must meet all VA employment requirements including United States citizenship, and Selective Service registration when applicable.

Duration

Programs are full-time (40 hours/week) for 12 months. Additional weekly time may be needed for scholarly or other training activities. Programs run from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.

Application process

The minimum specific requirements the applicant must meet for residency consideration include the following:

Applicant must have at least a 3.0 GPA in the Doctor of Chiropractic professional program.

Applicant must have earned a DC degree from an accredited chiropractic college prior to June 1, 2015.

Have a current, full, active, and unrestricted chiropractic license in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia, or be eligible for such license.

The applicant must have successfully complete Parts I, II & III of the NBCE Boards; each applicant is required to successfully complete part IV of the NBCE Boards and have scores submitted as soon as available.

The applicant must be a citizen of the United States

Selection of residents will be made without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, or sexual orientation.

Must have capabilities and goals consistent with the mission and rigor of the program.

Applications complete with supporting documentation and consistent with the request for application guidelines must be received electronically by February 6, 2015 to be fully considered. To apply for VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, send applications and supporting documents to mailto:valerie.johnson4@va.gov@scuhs.edu.

All applications will be reviewed by a Residency Committee and applicants will be selected for the interviews. Those applications chosen for interviews will be required to complete:;

The interview with the Residency Committee will be conducted via telephone or in person.

Candidates may be required to present a clinical case report.

The resident will ultimately be selected following an interview process for the most qualified candidates. Telephone interviews may be arranged in instances when a visit cannot be scheduled. The selected resident will receive a letter of appointment from VA confirming the applicant’s acceptance of the position and providing information regarding the duration of the program, hours of attendance, and compensation. Applicants will be informed in writing of the decision of the committee.

The VA Greater Los Angeles Health Administration (VAGLA) directs the Department of Veterans Affairs largest educational enterprise. We serve as a major training site for the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and USC School of Medicine, as well as more than 45 colleges, universities and vocational schools in 17 different medical, nursing, paramedical and administrative programs. In addition to the new chiropractic residency training program, this institution sponsors 16 medical residencies and numerous associated health residencies and internships in dentistry, podiatry, optometry, pharmacy, clinical psychology, social work and dietetics.

Chiropractic Care Residency Training Program

The Chiropractic Clinical Residency program is designed to facilitate the development of chiropractic clinicians in an integrative medical setting with an emphasis on advanced clinical training and academic practices. We are dedicated to providing quality patient centered care to our Veteran patient population base with multiple co-morbidities using evidence-based methods. The program offers our chiropractic resident a wide diversity of experience in a major academic medical center and is located in the newly remodeled Poly Trauma Center, part of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Non VAGLA rotations are available in SCU Health System at its University Health Center’s Spine Care and Sports Medicine Clinic. Additional non VA rotation opportunities in multispecialty interprofessional healthcare groups with SCU are available at other locations.

Graduates of this program will be exceptionally prepared to practice in VA and other healthcare systems; however completion of this residency does not ensure employment in VA or elsewhere.